The rifle-shot of 1 Samuel 8 is found in God’s instruction to Samuel in verse 9: Warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them. God wanted to place in full view the tendencies of human government. What are those tendencies? To Take and to Dominate. Get ready to be astounded!
You and I live in a democratic republic – the land in which once upon a time every voice had the right to speak; where once upon a time every opinion could be registered without fear of reprisal; where once upon a time any topic could be debated in the public arena. Once upon a time in America. Will it ever be so again? If not, what then? Why does the answer matter? The answer will make you mad or glad.
The darkness has always been present and will always be present in this world. So, how do we go at life though surrounded by darkness? Do we enter the realm of politics? Do we build bunkers deep below the surface of the earth and move in our families along with tons of supplies? So, how do we go at life though surrounded by darkness? The Psalmist answered that question, and the answer is as much needed today as, perhaps, any point in our lifetimes.
There are those who say that the Bible supports socialism as a preferred form of government. If that’s true, then let’s get on with it. However, if the Bible does not then we are obligated to position ourselves against it.